There are a lot of different treatments and gimmicks for boosting the thickness of your hair. From snake oil promises to legitimate, if not costly solutions, there is no end to the amount of products out there to try and bolster thinning locks. The biggest selection of products come in the form of volume-boosting shampoos that claim to mask or at times fix hair that had become thin. In finding a solution that may work though, its important to understand the difference between thinning hair and lost hair. Thin hair means that a follicle is still producing hair, even though its not as thick or lustrous as other strands, it’s still there. Lost hair or baldness is when the follicle is not just in a natural resting cycle, but cannot produce hair anymore period.
Getting to the root of your thinning hair.
Quite literally, you want to get to the source of why your follicles are not producing regular hair. It can take a bit of effort to find out possible reasons why. Sometimes, the best place to start is at the doctor’s office. A good check up including baseline blood work to check different levels of hormones and vitamins can give you the answer. Hormone imbalances, such as testosterone and estrogen, can contribute to many different negative effects, including hair loss and thinning. Thyroid hormones as well can have an impact on hair growth. Deficiencies in iron, protein, B vitamins and others can all result in thinner hair. There are even vitamins, such as A, that can cause hair loss and thinning. Correcting these vital levels of hormones and nutrients can be as simple as taking a single pill daily or adding different foods to your diet.
Outside of nutritional concerns, stress and genetics are other major factors that can result in having hair that is always thin or begins to thin. Nothing can be done to fix genetics, but there are many different stress relief and coping techniques that can help you manage it better. Other thinning hair remedies include using styling products and shampoos to help create the illusion of thicker hair.
Top shampoos for thin hair. 
There are a lot of top line shampoos and conditioners out there that can help boost the appearance of thin hair. Nexxus is a name that has been known in the hair care and styling world for a long time. They have one of the best shampoo for thinning hair on the market called Nexxus Diametree Luscious Hair Thickening Shampoo. It also comes with a matching Sublime Volume Luscious Bodifying Conditioner. Reviewers, customers, and critics alike all agree that for its price range, below $20 a piece, it is one of the best available. It can add volume to hair that is not just visible but that can be felt as well. Of most who left reviews, the biggest complaint is the increase in frizziness due to the added volume gained. Their proprietary blend of ingredients includes panthenol, flax seed oil and other components that can leave thinned hair thicker and silky.
On sites like Amazon, Pura d’Or has an argan oil shampoo that has been the best selling product in its category for over two years. It targets not just the scalp and hair health, but also has natural ingredients that can penetrate the follicle to help prevent hair from being negatively impacted by certain hormones. For around the $20 price, it is not only hailed by users as being good for preventing and treating hair loss, it is reported to help with thin hair as well. 
Another popular shampoo for helping thinning that comes as a result of old age is Fat hair 0 Calories thickening shampoo. It is designed especially for older ladies and even gentlemen with gray hair. Running less than $10 a bottle at most drugstores and online outlets, has been re-tested in critical laboratories and shown to actually increase the thickness of individual strands. Its biggest downfall though was that it can fade color treatments from hair.
Other popular brands of shampoo for thinning hair include a huge selection of herbal combinations. From sage and lemon, to mint and ginger, the gambit of herbal shampoos for thinning hair seemed to either target increasing circulation of the scalp or improving general hair health. Though, for the most part, herbal shampoos often have the same principle behind how they give hair a more voluminous appearance: they either engorge the strands with vitamins or coat it into a protective layer.
How long does the effects of shampoos last?
As most shampoos cannot permanently change the follicle, just the strands, the effects from their volume-boosting properties is generally temporary if you cease using the product regularly. As the hair continues to cycle through growth and shedding, hair that is no longer treated can be replaced with thin strands once more. For best results with any type of shampoo product, follow the instructions on the bottle. Many will either say to use daily or give a minimal number of times per week to use the product for optimal results.
Alternate thinning hair treatments, aside from shampoos.
If you don’t like the idea of using a somewhat pricey shampoo and conditioner to try and fluff up your hair, then there are other ways to improve the appearance of thin hair. The simplest thing you can do is try changing up to a gentler bristled brush, such as boar bristles, if you don’t already use that style. Stiff or knobby bristled brushes can actually be rough enough on follicles that they become damaged and produce thinner strands as a result. Even things like washing your hair in cold water or cutting back on using a blow dryer can help naturally give more volume and bounce to your hair.
Sometimes, trying a different hair style can improve the look without that much different upkeep. A bit of curls or waves can go a long way to making your hair seem more full and bouncy. Coloring it can also be an option to help mask a lack of thick strands. Sticking to medium, to lighter tones and avoiding great contrasts against your skin tone are guides to dying your hair. It can improve the overall appearance, while downplaying any areas that may be a bit sparse. Sometimes, the right amount of layering and highlighting can give your hair a dramatic makeover without requiring a lot of maintenance.
If an entirely new hairdo from the salon is not in the budget or desire, then using volume-boosting products such as mouses and serums can help give a very temporary appearance that washes away or fade over the course of the day.
When regular styling changes and shampoos don’t work.
Depending on the evaluation of your dermatologist, there are a few treatment options that can be done in office to try and revitalize weakened follicles. These include rather unpleasant treatments such as injecting small doses of steroids into the scalp or less invasive procedures such as using a low power laser to stimulate blood flow in the scalp.
Sometimes, the thinning hair is a precursor to complete bald spots. Watching for patches of bare scalp can be important. Treatments for complete hair loss work really well, but can work even better when begun as early as possible. Rogaine is a popular over the counter treatment for hair loss, but some even find it can improve thinning hair as well. It’s available in strengths for both men and women, though studies are being conducted to show that either can work depending on the person’s needs. It is more expensive than pricey shampoos that just add volume, but, if the thinning strands are beginning to vanish all together, it can be a worthwhile investment.
The most severe treatment that people site for fixing thinning hair is actual transplant surgery. While it is the most drastic step imaginable, those who have an intense issue with their lack of thick locks may opt for it. Doctors in general may advise against it unless they feel it would be the most beneficial to the patient. It is a costly procedure and can sometimes require repetition. Surgery is also generally reserved for recommendation unless there are signs of the thinning giving way to actual baldness.
Overall what is the best way to treat thinning hair?
There is never a one-size-fits-all answer that can work for everyone. Using shampoos that boost volume and help fortify your hair can be a simple and affordable remedy that works for many people. One thing that many people do not realize is that hair becoming thinner is a natural part of aging. Even those who opt to have cosmetic procedures will be faced with the same problems later on down the line as the body naturally begins to slow down in its regenerative cycles. Discussing with your doctor is about the only step that everyone should take when it comes to finding the best treatment. Finding out the most likely cause will point you in the right general direction to a solution.